Proto-Tiledem
History Proto-Tiledem is the ancestor of the Tiledem languages. It was likely spoken around the Bandichhi River, also known as the Kaltek River, in about 10000BK by semi-nomadic hunter-gatherers who were familiar with fishing. Phonology Consonants Vowels Diphthongs *ai, *au, *ǝi, *ǝu Accent Accent in Proto-Tiledem appears on the first syllable of a word. Phonotactics and Allophony The Proto-Tiledem word must take the form CV(CV)...© where any consonant may appear in any position but all words must begin with a consonant. Morphology Nouns The Proto-Tiledem noun stem usually consists of a CVCVC stem. Vowels vary predictably depending on what noun class the word in question belongs to. For example, the root ɕ-ŋg-t 'tent(folded up)/tent/fabric/family/home' may take various vowel patterns to produce a localization in meaning to ɕǝŋgaut, ɕaŋgǝut, ɕaŋgǝit, ɕiŋgǝit, ɕuŋgǝt. This vowel alternation is mostly unproductive and lexicalized by about 8000BK. To indicate tense and mood an suffix is often used on the subject noun phrase of a sentence. Verbs The Proto-Amutetikam-Tiledem verb root usually consists of a CCC stem. The root takes two vowels to produce a verb stem conveying aspect and mood which may then combine with TAM suffixes on the subject or adverb to produce a standalone clause. For example, the root h-ɹ-l 'love' may take the vowels a and ǝu to produce the stem haɹǝul 'love.I'. In the same sentence the subject mǝ- '2s' may take the TAM suffix -ŋat to produce the clause haɹǝul mǝŋat 'You loved (it) (habitually).' Some verbs (generally very 'basic' ones) may take a linking vowel followed by a verbal TAM suffix— in this case, the subject need not take a TAM suffix. For example, the root tɕʰ-pʰ-n 'see' may take the vowels a, ǝu, and u to produce the stem tɕʰapʰǝunu 'see.I,' and take the TAM suffix -t to produce the form tɕʰapʰǝunut 'saw (habitually).' Syntax Noun Phrases In Proto-Tiledem the noun phrase usually consists of a determiner followed by a noun. Modifiers follow the noun. The determiner changes based on the class of the noun it modifies. Possession is expressed through the construction X kaim Y to mean 'Y's X.' For example, ha tɕatʰǝwŋ kaim hi ɕaŋgǝit 'the fabric's beads, the beads on the fabric' Sentence Word order is generally VSO. Adverbs usually occupy the second position in the sentence. Lexicon Nouns Class letter is indicated. Amutet - butǝt E bead - tɕatʰǝuŋ B clan - kitʰǝim D day - natǝul B fabric - ɕaŋgǝit C family - ɕiŋgǝit D food - tʰǝkaum A grass - ŋgǝlaun A hand - kʰatɕǝis C home - ɕuŋgǝt E language - tilǝi-dǝim D lump - kamǝus B mountain - kʰulǝt E river - tʰutǝl E shield - tɕʰanǝit C sliver - kamǝis C summer - tɕʰinǝis D tent - ɕaŋg̵ǝut B tent (folded up) - ɕǝŋgaut A water (in a container) - badǝul B water (in a river) - bǝdaul A winter - kibǝis D word - tilǝib D Pronouns 1s - kʰǝ- 2s - mǝ- that - ŋǝ- Verbs Verbs which take TAM suffixes are indicated by *. go - nd-p-t* know - nd-t-n* love - h-ɹ-l put - kʰ-t-n* see - tɕʰ-pʰ-n* Modifiers Adjectives many - dǝim Adverbs today - ŋam Sound Changes from Proto-Amutetikam-Tiledem Vowel Changes Ø > i/u / _Ci/u# V > Ø / _# V > Ø / i,u,ɯ_ ɯ > ǝ Consonant Changes h > ŋ ʔ > h p > b mp/nt/ŋk > b/d/g mpʰ/ntʰ/ŋkʰ > mb/nd/ŋg ntɕ > ɲ ntɕʰ > ɬ +voice > Ø / _C